L’Office du Jèrriais have put together a sheet of eight Games-related phrases for Islanders and visitors to learn that they hope will help show what makes Jersey different and special.
They’ve loaded up the phrases that include as À vos merques, prêts, allez-y! – that’s On your marks, get set, go! on their website so that you can hear how to pronounce them properly.
And they’ve given out Jèrriais gift packs to each Team Manager, Team Captain and Island VIP of the 24 competing Islands so that they’ll have a permanent reminder of our special language. They’ve been wrapped in specially commissioned paper with the words – patchi auve pliaîsi en Jèrri – that’s packed with pleasure in Jersey.
Tony Scott-Warren of L’Office du Jèrriais said: “Jèrriais is Jersey’s unique language and we are on a mission to make it a part of Jersey life again. This is the first of a series of phrase sheets that we have developed to encourage people to start using the language in a fun way.
“For generations, Jersey people have used Jèrriais to exchange poetry, stories, scandals and beliefs. It is a language of lullabies and laughs, mockery and swearwords. Using and protecting this great language helps us understand all the special and unique things about our island home.”
You can find all the phrases here.